MURDER BY MOTOR.

NZ Truth, Issue 93, 30 March 1907, Page 6

MURDER BY MOTOR.

Mad Machinist Moorhouse

Breaks Up a Boy at New Brighton.

The Jury's Jejune Verdict.

Last Saturday, the Christchurch Cycle slaying and murdering Club was advertised to hold a carnival on New Brighton Beach, and on the previous day a competitor named Moorehouse hied him to the sandy course to practise for the event- William Rhodes Moorhouse must have been entirely satisfied with himself and his motor-cycle after his preliminary canter. He mounted his motor and dashed away along the course towards the Waimakariri River and then turnedi back. Everything was m good going order, and mad Moorhouse must have been on the very best terms with himself as he whizzed back towards New Brighton pier. He was travelling at between 60 and 7-0 miles -an hour and, as he flashed along' close by the water's edge, musj; have thought a considerable quantity of himself: Under -the pier he dashed and on. again for another few hundred yards, still going like greased lightning. There, his career received a sudden shock, for -a little boy, playing on the sands \*»isfch some companions, happened to crbss the course of flying, frantic. Moorhouse, with the result that the. latter concluded his time trial somewhat -abruptly. Incidentally the boy was killed. When the poor little chap wad picked up by a horrified spectator, he was nearly dead, but lingered on m great agony until 8 o'clock m the, evening. The ' impajct had ■• ' BROKEN THREE RiBS, splintered one of his knees, and smashed him up" generally, so that it was hardly surprising the poor little man, under eight years of age, died. At the inquest on Saturday it appeared that the boy, Frederick Kenneth Gourlay, was playing on the beach after school; when the motor cycle, estimated to be- travelling at the time at from 50 to 60 miles an hour, ran over him. As illustrating the impetus between, boy and bike one -witness declared that the collision flurip: the body forward about 25 feet, where it fell m a heap. A cycle manufacturer named Ernest James Ritchie who was riding a little behind Moorhouse, distinguished himssjf Ttfhile giving evidence by advancing, the theory that "if 'the boy had stopped running there would have been no accident." Marvellous reasoning this of Ritchie's ! The wonder, is he didn't add that if everybody else would get off the earth, motor maniacs would' guarantee that no such accidents as , the one under notice would ever occur. Another witness said that high speeds were desired by motor agents m order to effect sales. Dr. Cooke having given evidence as to the horrible injuries which caused iihe boy's death, Moor-' house stated that he was riding his own motor cycle on the beach, practising^ for. the races. First saw the fr&y' ittbout seventy; - yards ahead. 1 . Tiied' to stop his machine by releasing the" "engine and digging his feet m the sand as a brake. Failed to .effect his purpose and struck the boy on the left side of the back. Thought he was travelling ,30 to 40 miles an hour when he struck the l>oy. The Coroner (Mr.H. W. Bishop) made SOME CAUSTIC COMMENTS on the fact that the New Brighton Council should allow persons to ride along the beach without taking precautions for public safety. The Christchurch Cycle and Motor Club might offer prizes for speed, but it seemed to him sports were only held for advertising purposes. He blamed the .Association for what had occurred '. they ought t"b know better. The jury retired and subsequently brought m a verdict to the effect that the deceased met his death through be-in-pr 'knocked down by a motor bicycle driven at an excessive rate of speed by one William Rhodes Moorhouse, and urging the local body to stop persons from motoring on* the New ; Brighton foreshore at an excessive speed. There the matter' rests at present, and whether' the police propose taking any action, against mad, motorist Moorhouse remains : to be seen. Tttat such speed; fanatics should, by their insane ravings for "records" be allowed to bash and barter unfortunate individuals without fear of any worse punishment than having to attend a Coroner's inquest and explain "how they did it"' seems impossible on the face of it ', and, m the. public interests, the New Brighton motor fatality should not be allowed to rest where the Coroner left it.